--- title: "Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler for Singers: Instructions, Cleaning and Price" description: "What the Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler (V1200) manual says on filling, water, use and cleaning, a dated price and rating, and what Vicks says about voice." author: "VocalSteamer Editorial Team" publisher: "VocalSteamer (published by Danver LLC)" section: "Buying Guides" published: "2026-10-13" updated: "2026-10-13" language: "en-US" canonical: "https://vocalsteamer.com/vicks-personal-steam-inhaler-for-singers/" image: "https://vocalsteamer.com/images/posts/vicks-personal-steam-inhaler-for-singers.jpg" faq: [{"q":"Is there a Vicks vocal steamer?","a":"Not by that name. The maker's steam-inhaler listing (archived January 2, 2026) shows two products: this Personal Steam Inhaler (V1200) and the Sinus Inhaler (VIH200), a different device with its own instructions. The VIH200 FAQ (archived March 25, 2025), for example, has you fill it with up to 40 mL of cool tap water."},{"q":"Can you use the Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler abroad?","a":"The leaflet prints both an instruction to plug directly into a 120V AC outlet and a travel note that a dual-voltage feature adjusts automatically from 120 to 240 volts (you may need a plug adapter). We cannot reconcile them, so ask the maker first."},{"q":"Does the Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler shut off automatically?","a":"Do not count on it. The maker's category page mentions an automatic shut-off when water runs out but names no model. The V1200 manual and product page do not mention one."}] --- # Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler for Singers: Instructions, Cleaning and Price The Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler (model V1200) is a plug-in tabletop steam inhaler: you fill it with tap water, it boils the water, and you breathe the steam through a soft hood for 5 to 15 minutes. Its maker sells it for congestion and coughs, and we found nothing from the maker about singers or the voice, so for a singer it is a general home steamer. We did not test this inhaler hands-on. This page sets out the manufacturer's specifications and instructions, a current retailer price (checked October 11, 2026) and the one published buyer rating whose source we recorded. Manufacturer information was checked October 11, 2026, in Internet Archive copies of the V1200 manual (captured May 19, 2024) and product page (November 13, 2025), because the maker's site, vickshumidifiers.com, showed a bot check that we did not try to get past. If your leaflet differs, follow yours. ## How to use the Vicks steam inhaler: the manual's steps The manual numbers ten steps. Condensed: 1. Unwind the cord fully and stand the inhaler on a flat, stable surface. 2. Lift off the hood, turn the vent assembly counterclockwise until its index line meets the arrow on the base, and lift it out. 3. Fill the reservoir with tap water to just below the cup rim, no higher. 4. Refit the vent assembly (clockwise until it locks) and the hood. 5. Plug into a wall outlet, not an extension cord, and switch on. Steam starts after about 3 to 5 minutes. 6. Set the flow levers counterclockwise for minimum steam, hold your face over the hood, and breathe normally through your nose and mouth for 5 to 15 minutes. 7. Switch off, unplug, and let the unit cool before you move or refill it. Turning a lever clockwise toward HI gives more steam and, the manual says, more heat. If the low setting is still too warm, lift your face an inch or two. Do not rest your face on the hood (the soft plastic can bend and tip the unit). The manual sets no uses-per-day figure; it leaves when and how long to the user. For session lengths in NHS voice leaflets, see [how long to steam your voice](https://vocalsteamer.com/how-long-to-steam-your-voice/). ![Two hands lifting the soft hood off the base of a small steam inhaler](https://vocalsteamer.com/images/posts/vicks-personal-steam-inhaler-for-singers-inline-1.jpg) ## Water and what may be added * **Water:** tap water. The manual gives no volume or water temperature and says nothing about distilled water. * **In the water:** nothing. The manual's words are "Use with water only". It says never to add medications or inhalant liquids such as Vicks VapoSteam, and that anything added may create an unsafe condition; the product page adds that it voids the warranty. Salt, saline and essential oils are not named, so the water-only wording is what covers them. * **Scent pads:** the one extra the manual allows, in a slot for Vicks VapoPads. Fit a pad with the power off and without touching it. Its printed ingredients are eucalyptus oil, menthol, glycol, cedar leaf oil and others. The saline voice studies in our [research library](https://vocalsteamer.com/research/) used nebulizers, not steamers. One (Tanner et al. 2007, 60 vocally healthy women) found that no nebulized treatment (isotonic saline, hypertonic saline or sterile water) significantly sped recovery of phonation threshold pressure after 15 minutes of dry air. [Vocal steamer with saline](https://vocalsteamer.com/vocal-steamer-with-saline/) covers what steamer makers allow; the Mayluck store has a guide to [nebulizers for singers](https://mayluck.store/blogs/care/best-nebulizer-for-singers?utm_source=vocalsteamer.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=vicks-personal-steam-inhaler-for-singers&utm_content=inline) (Mayluck is sold by the company that owns this site). ## How to clean the Vicks steam inhaler Before any cleaning, the manual says to unplug the inhaler and let it cool for at least 20 minutes. **After each use:** take off the hood and vent assembly and wipe them dry with a clean cloth or paper towel, pour out leftover water, and wipe the reservoir and base dry. Never put the base in water. **Weekly maintenance:** due if you use the inhaler ten or more times a week, if scale builds up, or before the first use after two weeks or more unused. Pour two ounces of undiluted white vinegar into the reservoir, wait 10 minutes, empty it, rinse with clean tap water and dry. Wash the hood with mild soap and warm water and rinse off all the soap. The manual does not mention a dishwasher. Store the unit unplugged, empty and reassembled in a cool, dry place. More: [how to clean a vocal steamer](https://vocalsteamer.com/how-to-clean-a-vocal-steamer/). ## Safety warnings in the manual * The water and reservoir get extremely hot, and a tilted unit can spill boiling water. * Use it on a firm, flat, waterproof surface, and do not move it or remove the hood or vent assembly while it is on. While it runs or still holds water, keep it off your lap and out of your hands, and do not lift it by the hood. * Do not leave it unattended, and keep it out of reach of children. The manual gives no age for a child to use it; we do not recommend any steamer for children ([more](https://vocalsteamer.com/are-vocal-steamers-safe-for-kids/)). * Do not use it when drowsy, while bathing, outdoors, or where oxygen is being given or aerosol products are in use. * Do not run it without water or block its openings. ## Price, rating and buyer comments Checked October 11, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you buy. | | What we recorded | Source | | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Maker's own price | None: the archived product page shows a buy button and no price | vickshumidifiers.com, capture of November 13, 2025 | | Retailer price | $59.99, sold and shipped by Amazon.com; the listing names model V1200 | [Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000TN7MY), October 11, 2026, for a Los Angeles delivery address | | Public rating | 4.3 out of 5 stars from 7,919 ratings (star ratings, not written reviews) | [Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000TN7MY), October 11, 2026 | | Buyer comments | None recorded for the V1200 | | Target's similarly named listing prints no model number, so its rating and reviews are not counted here. We have no V1200 price from another retailer: Target's page showed no price, the one Walmart search page we read listed no item named V1200, and the CVS and Walgreens sites did not open for our check. [How much are vocal steamers?](https://vocalsteamer.com/how-much-are-vocal-steamers/) compares prices across models. ## What Vicks says about voice use Nothing. We found no wording from the manufacturer about singers, voice use, vocal cords or hoarseness. The maker, Kaz USA (a Helen of Troy company), calls the product a Personal Steam Inhaler, keeps its page under a sinus-inhalers address, and pitches it at allergies, congestion and coughs. The throat wording we found is general, such as warm, moist air to the nose and throat. The [steam studies](https://vocalsteamer.com/does-steam-help-vocal-cords/) in our [research library](https://vocalsteamer.com/research/) are small, and none of their abstracts names this inhaler. In 45 vocally healthy women, 3 minutes of steam inhaled through the mouth from a facial steamer, after about 10 minutes of mouth breathing, moved jitter, shimmer and harmonics-to-noise ratio back toward baseline (Mahalingam & Boominathan 2016). In a morning warm-up study of 12 women (Keltz & McHenry 2022), results varied: steam was best for 1 of 7 analyzed participants and worst for 3, who strongly disliked it. ## Who it suits, by listed features * **Fits:** steaming at home, at a table near a wall outlet, with time for the warm-up, the session and the cool-down. The maker lists variable steam control, no filter, a latex-free mask, one VapoPad in the box, a unit size of 3.9″ x 7.22″ and a 1-year limited warranty. * **Does not fit:** places with no outlet (see [portable vocal steamers](https://vocalsteamer.com/portable-vocal-steamer/)), or steaming while you hold the unit or move around. The manual labels it for indoor, residential use and states no wattage, weight or noise level. For other models, see [vocal steamers for singers](https://vocalsteamer.com/best-vocal-steamer-for-singers/). ## When to stop and see a doctor The manual gives no advice on when to see a doctor. If steam makes you cough, stop and ask one. The NIDCD says to see a doctor if you have been hoarse for more than three weeks (especially without a cold or flu), are coughing up blood, have trouble swallowing or breathing, feel a lump in your neck, have pain when speaking or swallowing, or lose your voice completely for more than a few days. ## Steam or saline mist? Steam is warm water vapor and suits home use; this inhaler needs a wall outlet, a steady table and time to cool. A nebulizer is a different kind of device, not a steamer: it makes a cool mist from saline, as in the saline voice studies, and battery models need no outlet. [Portable saline option](https://mayluck.store/products/mayluck-portable-mesh-nebulizer?utm_source=vocalsteamer.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=vicks-personal-steam-inhaler-for-singers&utm_content=bridge-box) [How nebulizers are used and cleaned](https://mayluck.care/models/my139?utm_source=vocalsteamer.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=vicks-personal-steam-inhaler-for-singers&utm_content=bridge-box) Disclosure: both buttons lead to sites run by the company that owns VocalSteamer. ## Questions ### Is there a Vicks vocal steamer? Not by that name. The maker's steam-inhaler listing (archived January 2, 2026) shows two products: this Personal Steam Inhaler (V1200) and the Sinus Inhaler (VIH200), a different device with its own instructions. The VIH200 FAQ (archived March 25, 2025), for example, has you fill it with up to 40 mL of cool tap water. ### Can you use the Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler abroad? The leaflet prints both an instruction to plug directly into a 120V AC outlet and a travel note that a dual-voltage feature adjusts automatically from 120 to 240 volts (you may need a plug adapter). We cannot reconcile them, so ask the maker first. ### Does the Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler shut off automatically? Do not count on it. The maker's category page mentions an automatic shut-off when water runs out but names no model. The V1200 manual and product page do not mention one. ## Sources * [Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler V1200, Use and Care Manual (Kaz USA, document 31IM1200206R2, copyright 2021)](https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/wp-content/uploads/v1200-6-vv1_velvet_om_31im1200206r2_r1_23nov21_manual.pdf): manufacturer manual, read on October 11, 2026 from the [Internet Archive capture of May 19, 2024](https://web.archive.org/web/20240519155030id_/https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/wp-content/uploads/v1200-6-vv1_velvet_om_31im1200206r2_r1_23nov21_manual.pdf); the live Vicks site did not open for our check that day * [Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler product page (vickshumidifiers.com)](https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/products/sinus-inhalers/personal-steam-inhaler/): manufacturer page, read from the [Internet Archive capture of November 13, 2025](https://web.archive.org/web/20251113083457id_/https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/products/sinus-inhalers/personal-steam-inhaler/) * [Vicks steam inhalers listing (vickshumidifiers.com)](https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/products/steam-inhalers/): manufacturer category page, read from the [Internet Archive capture of January 2, 2026](https://web.archive.org/web/20260102151422id_/https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/products/steam-inhalers/) * [Vicks Sinus Inhaler FAQs (vickshumidifiers.com)](https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/sinus-inhaler-faqs/): manufacturer FAQ for the VIH200, read from the [Internet Archive capture of March 25, 2025](https://web.archive.org/web/20250325175250id_/https://www.vickshumidifiers.com/sinus-inhaler-faqs/) * [Amazon.com listing for the Vicks V1200](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000TN7MY): retailer price and star rating, October 11, 2026 * [Target.com listing, Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler with Variable Steam Control & Soft Mask](https://www.target.com/p/-/A-52398443): retailer page with no model number, read October 11, 2026 * [Walmart.com search results for "vicks steam inhaler"](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=vicks+steam+inhaler): retailer search page, read October 11, 2026 * [Mahalingam & Boominathan, 2016, Laryngoscope (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26972609/): steam after mouth breathing, 45 women * [Keltz & McHenry, 2022, Journal of Voice (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32988703/): steam and straw phonation in a morning warm-up, 12 women * [Tanner et al., 2007, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17538106/): nebulized saline and water after dry air, 60 women * [NIDCD, "Hoarseness"](https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hoarseness): when to see a doctor About the author: VocalSteamer Editorial Team. Research-based, not hands-on. Our guides are built from published studies, hospital and public-health leaflets, and makers' manuals. We have not tested the devices we write about, and each article is checked against its sources a second time before it goes live. [How we research and write](https://vocalsteamer.com/editorial-policy/).